ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) restored on Tuesday Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Chairman Saeed Ahmed Khan and ended his ‘forced leave’.

On Feb 11, the Cabinet Division had sent Mr Khan on forced leave in connection with his alleged role in the fuel crisis that crippled parts of the country this January.

The court, however, did not stop the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) from conducting an inquiry against Mr Khan.

Also read: Ogra chief, PSO board take flak for petrol crisis

The government had also suspended Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Deputy Managing Director Jahangir Ali Shah in connection with the same crisis last month, and he also obtained a stay order form the Sindh High Court (SHC) and has also been restored to his position.

Since chairmen and members of regulatory bodies are protected under the law, the government had sent a reference against the Ogra chairman to the FPSC over his misconduct and also sent him on forced leave for three months.

IHC Justice Noorul Haq N. Qureshi announced the order on Tuesday after hearing both the federal government and Mr Khan’s counsel.

Asma Jahangir, Mr Khan’s counsel, stated in court that under the Ogra Ordinance, the chairman had a four-year term, unless he was found physically or mentally incapable or committed misconduct.

According to Mr Khan’s petition, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had been apprised in time that there was a supply deficit of 220,800 metric tons of fuel for the month of January 2015. It maintained that the “ECC did not consider it an alarming situation and expressed its satisfaction on the MOGAS (petrol) stocks available in the country”.

 “The fact, however, remains that the MOGAS stocks were to lapse by January 14, 2015 and when the remaining stock was consumed with no fresh supply, the petroleum shortage did occur causing serious losses to the country and the general public,” the petition stated.

Federal government’s standing counsel Jahangir Khan Jadoon, on the other hand, told the court that the Ogra chairman was responsible for maintaining 20 days worth of petrol stocks. He said that Ogra was constituted to regulate the affairs of oil marketing companies but Mr Khan failed to discharge his duty.

In the petition Mr Khan had named the Establishment and Cabinet Division secretaries, as well as the FPSC, as respondents.

Published in Dawn March 18th , 2015

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